Improvement in hose-elevator and fire-escape



I. GIBBS. VHose-Elevator.andFre- Esoaapa No. 205,855. .Patented July9,1878.

N,PETERS, PHOTO-LITMOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, D. CA

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIGE.

IVERS GIBBS, OF TCBC/ESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN HOSE-ELEl/ATOR AND FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 205,855, dated July 9,1878; application filed October 18, 1877.

To all 'whom it 'may concer-n Be it known that I, IvEns G1Bns,ot"Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Hose-Elevators, of whichthe following is a description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for elevating hose or pipe at firesto facilitate the discharge of water in a stream'at great heights, inplace of carrying thezhose up long ladders, which latter are bothdangerous and very in- "^v"efticient. These apparatus are usuallyprovided with raising or lowering and extensible tubes, with which thehose is connected, and which are mounted on a suitable platform orcarriage.

My invention consists in a combination, with a series of telescopictubes or equivalent structures, to the inner one of which the hose isattached, and the outer one of which is fitted to rock in its bearings,of a screw and wormwheel gear applied to the outer or lower one of saidtubes, for raising and lowering the latter, and with it the innerextension tube or tubes, provided with means for raising and loweringthem within the outer or lower tube, whereby increased efficiency andsecurity are obtained.

My invention also consists in a combination, with a raising and loweringseries of telescopic tubes or frames, the outer one of which is fitted'to rock in or on bearings transversely to the axial line of said tubes,of aplatform or base carrying said tubes, and made adjustable laterallyor to opposite sides ofthe plane in which said tubes are rocked,independentlyT of the ground or surface on which the apparatus rests,whereby said apparatus may be tilted laterally, and while at work andbefore elevating the column of tubes, to suit different requirementsindependently of all ground adjustinent.

My invention likewise consists in a combination of special meansordevices for laterally tilting the platform which carries the colfwimnof telescopic tubesror frames, whereby the tilting of said platformlaterally to level it is both simply and effectually obtained.

Figure l represents a plan of a hose-elevating apparatus having myinvention applied,

\ tubes.

A represents the platform of a carriage on which the apparatus ismounted or with which it is combined. Said platform is connected by endtrunnions b b with holsters B B, to the under side of which the axles CC of the carriage are attached. rlhe bolsters B B may be made hollow,and are fitted with screws D, which turn in bearings in the ends ofthebolsters, and work within or through screw- .threaded boxes c,attached to a frame or plate,

E, capable of a sliding movement along the tops of the holsters. Thesesliding frames or plates have double or reverse inclines d d, on whichthe platform A rests by rollers e e. Said screws are provided at theirone end with outside pulleys ff, which are connected by a rope, band, orchain, G, to provide for the operation in concert of the screws D, atopposite ends of the carriage, and whereby, according to the directionin which said band is moved by hand, the sliding plates E are shifted tothe right or to the left from a central position on their respectivebolsters, and, by their inclines l d, caused to laterally tilt theplatform A up or down on opposite sides. This provides for leveling theplatform A before elevating the column or series of tubes carried bysaidplatform when there are irregularities in the surface of the road onwhich the carriage rests by its wheels H H, and, furthermore, providesfor tilting, as may be desired, the column or series of tubes laterallytoward either side of a narrow alley or toward anybuilding.

Longitudinally through the center of the platform A is aV slot, t', toprovide for the working of the column of' tubes when being raised orlowered, and to keep the lower end of the same well down, whereby theapparatus is steadied. I is the lower tube, which is hung by trunnions kr, to rock or work in bearings l l on the platform A. One of thesetrunnions, 7s, carries a worm-wheel or sector, J, with which a screw, K,supported by standards on the platform A, gears. Aceordin gly as thisscrew is turned to the right or to the left is the whole column of tubesraised or lowered from the trunnions It' k as a center of motion. Suchscrew and worm-wheel gear forms a positive lock of itself for holdingthe column of tubes up or down, or in any intermediate position, andwhereby the same positive motion is used to lower as to raise the tubes,and there is little or no probability of breakage or deran gement of theparts.

L M are two extension-tubes, arranged one within the other, and theouter one of which is made capable of sliding up and down within or inand out of the rocking base-tube I. Vhile the invention is notrestricted to any particular number of extension-tubes, two willsui-tice to explain it. These extension-tubes are suitably guided onewithin the other, to keep them fromturning, and are controlled by stops,to limit them in their extension movement. The inner one, M, of theseextension-tubes has attached to its lower end the hose N, by which thewater is supplied from a iire-engine or other source, and to the up perend of said inner tube is attached a nozzle or other distributing`device. Attached to or near the lower end of the outer one, L, of theseextension-tubes are opposite side wire ropes or chains m m.. These ropespass over pulleys O 0 at the top or outer end of the lower rocking tubeI, and from thence to windlasses or pulleys l I), to which they areattached. Said windlasses P P are carried by a bracket, u, attached tothe basetube I, below the rocking fulcrum or trunnions of the latter;and on the axles of said windlasses are worm-wheels Q, with which anendless screw, It, (operated by hand, and having its bearings in thebracket a) is arranged to gear. Attached to or near the lower end of theinner tube M ot' these extension-tubes are wire ropes or chains o' o',which pass over pulleys S on the upper ends of the outer extension-tubeL, and are attached at their one end to the outer or rocking basetube I.

By this connection of the extension-tubes and rocking base-tube theextension-tubes L and M are made capable of being elevated uniformly andsimultaneously by suitably rotating, through a crank or handle, thewind` lasses P I.

Arranged on the upper end of the inner one, M, of the extension-tubesL Mis a basket or cage, T, in which the fireman who controls thedischarge-nozzle may stand. This basket is hung to swing on an upperpivot, c, in transverse relation with the elevating motion of the columnof tubes from the trunnions la as a moving center, and is provided witha slotted attachment, s, for holding the basket, by a locking-screw, t,iu a proper position for diiferent inclinations of the columns of tubes.Said basket is provided in its bottom with trap-doors u, through whichthe reman may ascend or descend by means of a rope-ladder, V, attachedto and carried up by the basket, and which may also serve as aiireescape. This ladder is independent of the extensiontubes, and is adirect attachment to the basket or cage T.

If desirable or found necessary, guy-ropes may be attached to the upperextension-tube to guide or steady and brace the column of tubes.

The extension and elevating devices hold the column of tubes in whateverposition it may be elevated or extended.

It is not absolutely necessary that the outer tubes I L should be closeones, and frames which are not strictly tubes may be substituted forthem; but it will suffice to designate them tubes. Neither is itabsolutely necessary that thesc tubes or frames should be arranged onewithin the other, as they may be iitted to slide one outside of theother. Again, instead of connecting the screws D D by pulleys f f and anendless rope or chain, G, to effect the tilting of the platform, saidscrews may be disconnected or independent of each other, and beseparately operated, as required, by cranks or handles applied to them.

I claiml. A hose or pipe elevator composed of a series of telescopictubes or frames, the inner one of which carries the hose to be elevated,and thc outer one of which is hung to rock on or about a transverseaxis, in combination with the screw K and worm-wheel or sector J,substantially as and for the purposes herein described.

2. The combination, with a series of raising and lowering or telescopictubes or frames, the lower 011e of which is fitted to rock in or onbearings transversely to the axial line of the tubes, of a platform orbase carrying said tubes, and made adjustable independently of theground or surface on which the apparatus rests, laterally or to oppositesides of the plane in which said tubes are rocked, substantially asspecied.

3. The combination of the screws l) D, the sliding plates or frames E,operated by said screws, and having reverse inclines d l on them, thepulleys f f, and connecting rope or chain G, the laterally-tiltin gplatform A, actuated by said inclines, and having mounted on it a columnof raising and lowering tubes, the bolsters B, the axles G, and thewheels H Il, substantially as specified.

IVERS GIBBS.

Vitnesses W HENRY E. HILL, J. HENRY HiLL.

